Young Knocks in Winning Run in Marathon Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Jul 16, 2008

July 16, 2008

NEW YORK, N.Y. -
For the second time in three seasons, former Gaucho and current Texas Ranger Michael Young drove in the winning run at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Young's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 15th inning Tuesday at Yankee Stadium gave the American League a 4-3 victory and ended the longest game in the 79-year history of the Midsummer Classic.

Playing in his fifth consecutive All-Star tilt, Young lifted a Brad Lidge (Philadelphia Phillies) pitch to semi-shallow right field that was easily caught by Corey Hart (Milwaukee Brewers). Justin Morneau (Minnesota Twins), who won Monday's Home Run Derby, tagged up at third base and slid into home, just ahead of Hart's throw and catcher Brian McCann's (Atlanta Braves) tag.

The walk-off sac fly capped the four hour and fifty minute game, which ended close to two o'clock in the morning in the Bronx. It broke the previous record by more than an hour.

Young, the starting shortstop for the Rangers, became just the second American League player to end an All-Star Game by producing a walk-off run. Hall of Famer Ted Williams (Boston Red Sox) homered to win the 1941 contest.

Young went 1-for-4 in the game and actually had a chance to win it way back in the 11th inning. After Young singled to center, Dioner Navarro (Tampa Bay Rays) was gunned down at the plate by a strong throw from Nate McLouth (Pittsburgh Pirates) and an excellent plate block and tag by catcher Russell Martin (Los Angeles Dodgers).

Young, who played at UCSB from 1995-97, was tabbed the MVP of the 2006 All-Star Game in Pittsburgh after delivering a two-run triple that put the AL ahead for good in the top of the ninth inning.

Tuesday's victory extended the American League's unbeaten streak to 12 All-Star Games and secured home field advantage for the AL in the 2008 World Series.